Return to The Further with the popular Insidious movies. Sadly, the sixth film in the series, which was originally slated for an August 2025 release, will now not come out until the summer of 2026. In the meantime, we can always go back and revisit the five movies that are already out.
But as with most franchises, Insidious did decline in quality over time. Some films are definitely better than others, so which ones are worth rewatching/watching for the first time, and which ones can you skip?
Insidious (2010)
- Director: James Wan
- Writer: Leigh Whannell
- Cast: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, & Barbara Hershey
- Streaming: Hulu
From its heart-stopping jump scares to its ingeniously creepy usage of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips," Insidious by director/writer duo James Wan and Leigh Whannell proved to be the kind of inventive supernatural thriller we all needed. Helped along by gripping performances by leads Patrick Wilson, Lin Shaye, and Rose Byrne, Insidious became a huge hit and spawned the mega-successful franchise still ongoing 15 years later.
The first film remains the best because it was easily the most inventive of the series, a refreshing start that could only be replicated by future entries. Insidious took a basic "haunted house" premise and transformed it into something far more compelling, intentionally subverting audience expectations. One of my favorite things about Insidious is how the central family actually moves into a different house when they expect the first one to be haunted. How many times have you yelled at a fictional family to do just that while watching a horror movie? The horror comes from the fact that the Lamberts cannot outrun "The Further."
Verdict: WATCH
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
- Director: James Wan
- Writer: Leigh Whannell
- Cast: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins, & Barbara Hershey
- Streaming: Hulu
Though future entries into the Insidious franchise would jump around in time, Insidious: Chapter 2 picks up right after the events of the first film, with a possessed Josh Lambert having murdered Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye).
Because the Insidious films started with the Lambert family, it usually feels more fitting when the movies continue that particular storyline. And while the sequel didn't feel as fresh or scary as its predecessor, the story it told was still a compelling one that would go on to set up the future of the series.
Verdict: WATCH
Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
- Writer/Director: Leigh Whannell
- Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, & Lin Shaye
- Streaming: Hulu
The third chapter in the franchise saw Whannell take over as both writer and director. He also decides to focus more on Lin Shaye's character, Elise, who became a fan favorite during the first movie. Taking place three years before the Lambert family haunting began, Insidious: Chapter 3 follows a teen girl named Quinn who wants to get in touch with her deceased mother, unaware that a sinister force is waiting in the wings.
Again, the third entry fails to enliven the story or surpass the first in terms of scares. Still, it's hard to dislike this movie when Elise is such a fun character to watch, especially during her endearing and often hilarious scenes with Specs and Tucker.
Verdict: WATCH
Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
- Director: Adam Robitel
- Writer: Leigh Whannell
- Cast: Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Spencer Locke, Caitlin Gerard, & Bruce Davison
- Rent or buy from digital retailers
Elise, Specs, and Tucker are back for another investigation in a direct sequel to Insidious: Chapter 3, but this is where the Insidious franchise really began to lose steam. The fourth movie is a deeply personal story for Elise, as she and her colleagues head to New Mexico to investigate a potential haunting. Elise then realizes that the house in question is her childhood home. As great as Shaye is, even she can't save this movie from being repetitive and dull.
Verdict: SKIP
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)
- Director: Patrick Wilson
- Writer: Scott Teems
- Cast: Ty Simpkins, Patrick Wilson, Sinclair Daniel, Hiam Abbass, & Rose Byrne
- Streaming: Netflix
It's hard not to recommend watching Insidious: The Red Door because it wraps up the Lambert story, returning to the tale of Josh Lambert (Wilson) and his son Dalton (Simpkins). Dalton is now in college and still haunted by what happened to him as a kid. He can't stop drawing images and seeing the red door leading to The Further, complicated by the fact that he and his dad both had their memories repressed in the second film.
But with a weak and muddled script, The Red Door doesn't feel like the kind of sign-off fans deserved from the franchise, especially since this was supposed to be the last movie for a long time (though that was changed not long after when the sixth film was announced).
Verdict: SKIP